A Summersville man is facing multiple charges following a months-long investigation into the poaching of a bull elk in southern Missouri.
The case began the day before Thanksgiving 2025, when a Poplar Bluff couple reported a mature bull elk that had been shot and left to rot inside the refuge at the Peck Ranch Conservation Area in Carter County.
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the discovery was reported Nov. 26, and conservation agents quickly responded to begin processing the scene. Investigators documented evidence and performed a necropsy on the animal.
Over the next four months, agents conducted interviews, followed up on anonymous tips and reviewed reports submitted through the Operation Game Thief hotline.
Authorities say additional evidence was gathered through surveillance video from a cooperating business and information obtained from three search warrants. Investigators also received analytical and firearm tracking support from the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Lab and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
As a result of the investigation, four charges have been filed in Carter County against the Summersville man. The charges include taking elk outside of established season and permit regulations, taking elk within a state wildlife refuge, using artificial light while hunting and wanton waste of the animal.
A probable cause statement submitted by conservation agents led a Carter County Associate Circuit Court judge to issue a summons for the man to appear for arraignment on April 14.
Conservation Agent Brad Hadley, who led the investigation, credited the public for helping move the case forward.
“This speaks to how much people in Missouri value our wildlife and support efforts to conserve and protect it,” Hadley said.
Missouri Department of Conservation Protection Chief Travis McLain also emphasized the importance of public involvement in conservation cases.
Officials say poaching – which includes taking wildlife out of season, without proper permits or in violation of state regulations – remains a serious offense that impacts both wildlife populations and public resources.
Anyone with information about poaching or other wildlife violations is encouraged to contact the Operation Game Thief hotline at 800-392-1111.
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